Butch Walker got his start playing lead guitar for a glam band called SouthGang before forming his own alternative rock outfit (and one of the most underrated bands of the 90s), The Marvelous 3. After their demise, he struck out on a prolific solo career as a singer, songwriter, and producer. Despite churning out tons of hit songs for a wide variety of other artists, Walker has yet to break onto the charts and remains an unsung hero in the music biz. His albums are as diverse as the acts he works with, but each one is a cohesive effort. If you're in the mood for arena rock, check out 2002's "Left Of Self-Centered." If you're in the mood for T. Rex-inspired 70s rock, check out 2006's "The Rise And Fall Of...Butch Walker And The Let's-Go-Out-Tonights." If it's a rainy Sunday and you need some acoustic tunes, check out 2015's "Afraid Of Ghosts." You get the idea. "Summer Of 89" is Walker doing what he does best - combining punk lyrics with a bold, bombastic chorus that begs you to sing along. The track comes from his excellent 2011 album, "The Spade."
Marvelous 3 released a trilogy of records in the late 90s that contain some of the greatest modern rock of the era. Mixing pop smarts with wit and delectable harmonies, Marvelous 3 should have been huge, but most people don't even remember the one song that got a lot of airplay in 1999: "Freak Of The Week." After the demise of glam band SouthGang, the multitalented guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Butch Walker formed Marvelous 3 with a couple of his old bandmates. For reasons science will never understand, the band didn't take off, and Walker walked to try a solo career (which we will get to eventually...be patient). Walker has found bigger success as a songwriter and producer for other notable acts. "Indie Queen" comes from what I feel is their best record, "Hey! Album," from 1998. Simply gorgeous and arguably the most persistent ear worm of the decade.
Most know Tommy Lee as the theatrical drummer for glam band Motley Crue, but during their downtime he's put out a couple solo records. In 2005, he released his sophomore album, "Tommyland: The Ride," which accompanied his book of the same title and his reality TV show, Tommy Lee Goes To College. "Good Times" was the lead off track to this album, and also the theme song for his TV show. The tune gave Lee his one and only chart appearance, making at showing at #95 that year. It is a fun song to play with the top down, thanks to a killer chorus that was taken up a notch by Butch Walker (SouthGang, Marvelous 3). Other guests on this solid effort range from Chad Kroeger (Nickelback) to Nick Carter (Backstreet Boys) to Dave Navarro (Jane's Addiction, Red Hot Chili Peppers).
